Airbag assembly and vehicle seat provided with airbag assembly

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an airbag assembly and a vehicle seat comprising the airbag assembly. The airbag assembly is adapted to be mounted at a side of a vehicle front seat away from its neighboring vehicle door, and includes a folded airbag adapted to be inflated with gas and to be connected to a backrest frame of the vehicle front seat; and a tether for controlling deployment of the airbag. A first end of the tether is connected to the airbag and a second end of the tether is adapted to be connected to the backrest frame. The airbag is configured to be restrained by the tether and the filling so as to be disposed along a side contour of the backrest frame in a bent state.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An airbag assembly for a vehicle front seat, the vehicle front seat including a backrest frame, the airbag assembly comprising:
 a folded airbag adapted to be inflated with gas and to be carried by the backrest frame; and 
 a tether for controlling deployment of the airbag, a first end of the tether connected to the airbag and a second end of the tether for interconnection with the backrest frame, the tether including, a folded portion formed from a section of the tether being folded and a fixed portion disposed at the folded portion to retain the folded portion, the fixed portion breakable in response to inflation of the airbag such that the folded portion of the tether will be unfolded gradually from a folded state, 
 wherein the airbag assembly is adapted to be mounted at a side of the vehicle front seat away from a neighboring vehicle door, 
 wherein the airbag is configured to be disposed along a side contour of the backrest frame in a bent state, and 
 wherein the airbag assembly is adapted to be mounted at a lateral side of the backrest frame. 
 
     
     
       2. The airbag assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the tether and the airbag are integrally formed. 
     
     
       3. The airbag assembly according to  claim 2 , further comprising a bracket for connecting airbag to the backrest frame,
 wherein the bracket comprises a first end for connecting to the tether and a second end for connecting to the backrest frame. 
 
     
     
       4. The airbag assembly according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an airbag housing for at least partly storing the folded airbag, wherein the airbag is at least partly connected to the backrest frame through the airbag housing. 
 
     
     
       5. The airbag assembly according to  claim 4 , wherein the airbag housing is formed of flexible woven fabric, and
 wherein the folded airbag is entirely contained in the airbag housing, the airbag housing is configured to be disposed along a side contour of the backrest frame, and at least a part of the airbag housing is pressable against a bent portion of the backrest frame in a bent state. 
 
     
     
       6. The airbag assembly according to  claim 4 ,
 wherein a lower portion of the airbag is connected to the backrest frame through the airbag housing, and an upper portion of the airbag is connected to the backrest frame and pressed against a bent portion of the backrest frame in a bent state. 
 
     
     
       7. A vehicle seat comprising:
 a backrest frame; and 
 an airbag assembly comprising:
 a folded airbag adapted to be inflated with gas and connected to the backrest frame; and 
 a tether for controlling deployment of the airbag, a first end of the tether connected to the airbag and a second end of the tether for interconnection with the backrest frame, the tether including, a folded portion formed from a section of the tether being folded and a fixed portion disposed at the folded portion to retain the folded portion, the fixed portion breakable in response to inflation of the airbag such that the folded portion of the tether will be unfolded gradually from a folded state. 
 
 
     
     
       8. The vehicle seat of  claim 7 , wherein the airbag assembly is mounted at a lateral side of the backrest frame. 
     
     
       9. The vehicle seat of  claim 7 , wherein the vehicle seat is a front vehicle seat, and the airbag assembly is mounted at a side of the vehicle front seat away from a neighboring vehicle door. 
     
     
       10. The vehicle seat of  claim 7 , wherein the airbag is configured to be restrained by the tether and the filling so as to be disposed along a side contour of the backrest frame in a bent state. 
     
     
       11. An airbag assembly for a vehicle seat comprising:
 an airbag housing for mounting to the vehicle seat; 
 a folded airbag adapted to be inflated with gas and stored within the airbag housing; 
 a filling around the airbag housing and a portion of the vehicle seat, the filling surrounding the flexible portion of the airbag housing for retaining the airbag housing in a bent state; and 
 wherein the airbag housing includes a flexible portion bendable from a straight configuration to a curved configuration for flexibly conforming with a surface of the vehicle seat, the flexible portion is bendable from a straight configuration in response to an external force and returns to the straight configuration when not subject to the external force. 
 
     
     
       12. The airbag assembly of  claim 11 , further comprising a tether for controlling deployment of the airbag, a first end of the tether connected to the airbag and a second end of the tether for interconnection with the backrest frame. 
     
     
       13. The airbag assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the tether includes a folded portion formed from a section of the tether being folded and a fixed portion disposed at the folded portion to retain the folded portion, the fixed portion breakable in response to inflation of the airbag such that the folded portion of the tether will be unfolded gradually from a folded state. 
     
     
       14. The airbag assembly of  claim 12  in combination with the vehicle seat, wherein the tether maintains the airbag housing in the curved configuration conforming with the surface of the vehicle seat. 
     
     
       15. The airbag assembly in combination with the vehicle seat of  claim 14 , wherein the flexible portion of the housing is releasable connected to the vehicle seat by the tether. 
     
     
       16. An airbag assembly for a vehicle seat comprising:
 an airbag housing for mounting to the vehicle seat; 
 a folded airbag adapted to be inflated with gas and stored within the airbag housing; 
 wherein the airbag housing includes a flexible portion bendable from a straight configuration to a curved configuration for flexibly conforming with a surface of the vehicle seat, the flexible portion is bendable from a straight configuration in response to an external force and returns to the straight configuration when not subject to the external force, 
 a tether for controlling deployment of the airbag, a first end of the tether connected to the airbag and a second end of the tether for interconnection with the backrest frame, 
 wherein the tether includes a folded portion formed from a section of the tether being folded and a fixed portion disposed at the folded portion to retain the folded portion, the fixed portion breakable in response to inflation of the airbag such that the folded portion of the tether will be unfolded gradually from a folded state.